Case or box.



No. 645,7l8. Patented Mar. 20, |900.

E. v.L FLETCHER.

cAsE on Box. (Application tiled Sept. 20, 1898.)

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v UNTTED STATES EDVIN'J. FLETCHER, OF NEVVKYORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE PATENT CASE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CASE OF( BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,718, dated March 20, 1900.

l Application filed September 20, 1898. Serial No. 691,418. (No model.)

ware, jewelry, and like expensive goods; and

the object of the invention is to provide a case which shall be light but strong, rich and neat inv appearance, and not expensive to lnanufacture. Y A f l The invention is based von patents to me dated June 2, 1896, No. 561,384; July 7,1896,

No. 563,581, and Marchl 23, 1897, No. 579,320; f and it consistsv in.y certain novel features and details of construction relating particularly to the top, body, bed, and hinge,yto be herei inafter described.

l The accompanying drawings form a part of y' this specication and show the invention as I have'carried it out.

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section through the case or box, and Fig. 2 is a cor'- responding transverse section. Fig. 3 is a similar View through certain portions, showing the manner of shaping the edges of those parts before final assembling. Fig. lis a plan view of the bed alone, with certain parts broken away or removed to better show the construction.' Fig. 5 is a -transverse vertical section through a portion of the bed. Fig. 6 is a plan View of a portion of the base and hinge. The remaining figures are on a larger scale and show several forms of the hingerSO joint. They are. vertical transverse sections through a portion of the base and body and adjacent parts on the line of junction. Fig. 7 shows the hinge in simple form. Fig. S showsthe same with a single reinforce. Fig. 9 shows two reinforcing-strips, and Fig. 10 shows the same with the addition of a stay or brace to support thebody and relieve the hinge from strain.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The body A is formed of a rectangular hoop A', having rounded corners, covered on its outer faces and edges with ornamental paper A2 and having its open upper face covered by a sheet A4 of ribbed or other ornamental pa per stretched taut and cemented to the edges; The margins of the several coverings are conL cealed by a lining-strip A,covered with paper.

B isthe top, consisting of a thick foundation-sheet B/ of book-board or other strong and light material,its outline matching the upper face of the body, and a thickeningpiece B2 of corrugated paper or felt, smaller vthan the sheet B', above which is placed 'a shaping-sheet B3 of thin pasteboard or heavy l paper reaching nearlyfor quite to the edges of .thesheet B on all sides, anda thin pad B4 of waddingy or cotton-batting to givesoftness to .theupperlface of the top. The wholeis covered with an envelop B5, ofornamental paper, preferably `similar to that upon the body, drawn tightly over the margins and' cemented to the under face of. the sheet B. 4A pad A5 of cotton-batting is placed upon the stretched sheet A4, andthe iinished top is then .carefully placed upon the body and cemented thereto along the upper edges of the latter, the pad A5 forcing downward 4the middle portion of the sheet A4, producing a.puffed or cushioned appearance on the interior under face 4of the top, and thus affording an attractive finish. o

Excepting the construction of top, the invention so far as yet described does not differ greatly from that shown and described in the patent dated March 23, 1897, above referred to.

It has been shown by experience that excessive care must be exercised in shaping the sheets B and hoops Ajthat each shall match exactly to the other in order that the junction ofthe top and body shall be regular and uniform on all sides and produce the neat ap-l pearance necessary to success. Practice has demonstrated that it is so difficult to make these parts separately and have them conform to the requirements when assembled as to be almost impossible. In the present improvement this difficulty is avoided by the following'means; The sheet A4 is iirst applied to the hoop and tightly stretched across its open top before the ornamental paper A2 is applied, and the approximately-shaped sheet B is then lightly tacked by cement at two or more points ICO a a to the upper face of the sheet A4, and is thus secured in position relatively to the hoop. The two thus joined are then subjected to the action of an abrading-machine, having the cutting or grinding` surface properly shaped, which smoothly rounds off the edges of both at the same time and insures that the curve shall be uniform and continuous on all sides. The hoop A and sheet B are then taken by the operator and again separated by breaking the slight bond at the cemented points and the parts assembled and covered, as before described, care being taken to replace the sheet ll in the same position it occupied when treated by the machine. The result is a practically-continuous curve from the Hat upper face of the top to the vertical sides of Vthe body, broken only by the slight angle at the line of junction between the covering material for the two parts. B y this means the unavoidable discrepancies or inequalities in size and shape between the hoop and top, due to slight differences in manufacture and which appear greatly magnied in the finished product, are entirely corrected, and though by this process there should be any slight irregularities the defect in outline is the same in both and therefore not apparent, evenon close inspection.

The base C is forinedof two or more sheets C C2 of heavy book-board, having the edges and exposed surfaces coveredrwith the ornamental paper C3 and superposed and cemented to gether. It is joined to the body `by a hinge peculiarly formed and consisting, essentially, of a continuation of the covering material-A2 on the body, sewed to the upper faceof the base. 'A6 is such continuation extending along a considerable portion of the lower rear edge of the body and' forming a flap, which is stitched to the uppermost sheet of book-board C before covering and before the lowermost is attached' along a line C5 as close as practicable to the lower rear edge of the body. If the covering material be of sufficient strength, the hinge thus formed will be strong enough to withstand the strains of ordinary usage, especially if the case be small; but I prefer, particularly in larger cases, to reinforce the hinge by inserting a strip L of strong thin fabric, as linen or strong paper, between the flap A(i and the rear face of the hoop,.as shown,

extending about the width of the flap and ceand strong fabric, is also applied between the hoop and lining-strip, with its free edge cemented to the base along the proper line to provide sufficient slack to allow the body to be turned back to the required angle, but

prevent straining the hinge-joint, and also to support the body when the case is in the open condition. It also serves to conceal the j unction of the flap and its reinforcements with the body and base. The hinge-joint thus formed is in appearance at least a continuation of the covering of the body and shows simply as a crease or break in the material, and is peculiarly neat and workmanlike, besides avoiding the labor and expense of carefully attaching metal or other separately formed hinges.

The bed D, on which the articles to be incased are supported, consists of a shallow tray formed of avsheet D" of strong stiff paper or board cut to conform to the shape of the case and lie upon the base within the body when the case is closed. Along the margin on all sides is set a narrow strip of corrugated paper D2, with the corrugations standing vertically and the plane face outermost and iiush with the edge of the sheet D, thus forming a light but very stiff and strong ledge on all sides of the latter. The tray is covered with a looselydistended rich fabric D3, cemented to the plane face of the strip D2, the raw'edge at the line of junction being concealed by the band D4, encircling the bed and covered with orna-` mental paper. The plane face of the ledge D2 affords ample surface for attaching the covering, and by avoiding the necessity of ce'- in supporting any article to be inclosed or to produce any effect in ornamentation desired.

E is an armhinged to a block E', cemented to the bed and provided with a spring, as`E2, tending to hold it in contact with the block and serving, with a fixed stop E3, as a clamp to engage and hold any article inserted between the arm and stop. As shown, the clamp is adapted to grasp the handle of a knife or similar article, the point of the blade being supported upon a rest F, formed of corrugated paper bent into V shape and cemented to the bed with the corrugations vertical, and F is a guide, similarly constructed, partially inclosing the rest F, but shaped to conform to the outline of the article to be received. The rest and guide are by reason of their corrugated construction easy to shape, as required, in the fingers and attached to the bed at the desired point bycementing, but are extremely strong and rigid when so attached. The clamps and rests are of course concealed beneath the fabric D3 and may be of any size or shape to meet the requirements. An important advantage attained by this clamp is due to the fact that it opens in a plane parallel with the upper surface of the bed and lies close to the latter, so that any given article to be supported lies as near the base as prac- TIO IIS

ticable and enables me to correspondingly reduce the height of the body, and thus effect a considerable saving in material as Well as in storage-room, and also presents a neater and less bulky appearance without in the least detracting from the richness of the display when the case is open.

The bed is cemented upon the upper face of the base, eectually concealing the hingeflap and reinforcements and also the wings C4 and rawedge of the stay M.

The whole thus constructed forms a light strong case of exceptionally attractive appearance and which may be manufactured in quantities at a very low cost. The several sheets to be used in a certain size and style' of box are cut by dies, preferably in numbers, and all the parts are similarly prepared ready to be assembled. Hence highly-skilled labor is not essential to successful manufacture.

The construction of the top is important in that by reason of the shaping-sheet B2, supported throughout its middle portion bythe thickening-piece B2, but overhanging the edges of the latter, the unsupported marginsv yield readily to the strain of the tightly-'drawn envelop B5 and by vbending downward, as

shown, in contact, or nearly so, with the foundation-sheet B produce a smoothly-rounded contour not easily attained by other means.

I have shown the strip D2of corrugated paper as having a thick facing d on one side and a thinner facing d on the other. The strip is mounted on the sheet.D,' with the thicker facing d outward to aid in strengthening the strip and aord a surface for attaching the rich covering, While the thin facing cl on the inner face is easily crushed or*A upset in bending at the corners, but contributes somewhat in stiening the whole'.

, The thin facing may be omitted, if desired.

Modifications may be made inthe forms and proportions, and part-sf of the invention may be used without the whole. One or both the reinforcements L L for the hinge may be omitted, as may also the wings C4, or other forms of hinge may be substituted.l For some classes of goods the clamps E Ea will not be required, their places being taken by'suitably-shaped guidescorresponding to F F and serving as cavities in which the articles will be held. The-thickness of the top may be increased by adding one or more layers of corrugated paper, as set forth in the patentdated March 23, 1897, above referred to, and the massiveness of the base may be increased. The materials employed may be varied. I have described the covering as paper and consider such generally preferable; but leather, leatherette, fabrics of all descriptions, or any 'material suitable for the purpose may be subor a simple rubber band may serve, and the clamp may be secured by nails driven from the opposite face of the sheet D', either with or without the addition of cement. The corrugated strip D2 may be omitted from one or more sides of the sheet D in certain constructions. The stitching described in securing the body to the base and forming the hinge will be understood to include any attaching means in which the thread or,its

` equivalent passes through the liap into the base and is fastened to the latter.

I claiml. In a case or box of the character set forth, a hoop forming part of the body, a sheet stretched-across the open upper face of said hoop and secured to the upper edge of the latter, and -a top adapted to serve with vthe body and temporarily joined to said sheet by easily-broken bonds serving to hold said hoop v and top relatively to each other while the adjacent abutting surfaces of each are shaped anda subsequently-applied covering on said hoop, lall combined` substantially as herein specified. v

2. In a case orbox of the character set forth, y

a hoop forming part of the body, a sheet stretched across the open upper face of saidy hoop `and secured to the upper edge of the latter, and 'a top adapted to serve withthe body and temporarily joined to said sheet by;

easily-broken bonds serving to hold said hoop and top relatively to eachother while the adjacent abutting surfaces of each are shaped,

the said sheet also serving as a finish for the lower face of said top inthe completed case and a. subsequently-applied covering'on, said hoop, all combined substantially as herein specified.

3. The hoop'k A', the sheet A4 stretched across the open-upper face of said hoop with its edges attached directly to the upper edge of the hoop,.the covering-sheet A2 cemented to said hoop and to the `portion of the said sheet upon the top edge of the hoop, and a top comprising an upper and a lower sheet with the edge of the upper sheet in contact with the said covering upon the top edge of the hoop.

4. The hoop A' sheet A4 stretched across the open upper face of said hoop and cemented toits edges, the covering-sheet A2 cemented to said hoop and overlapping and cemented directly to the margins of said sheet and overlapping upon the latter, and the lining-strip A2 within said hoop, in combination with a top B comprising the sheet B', corrugated sheet B2 thereon, sheet B3 larger than the latter, the pad B4, and covering-sheet B5 drawn over said pad and cemented to the under face of said sheet B', all substantially as herein specified.

5. The hoop A', covering-sheet A2 and flap A6 forming a continuation of said coveringsheet, combined with a base, an independent reinforce extended beyond the lower edge of IIOl the hoop inl both directions, a reinforce ovei` the otheredge of thehoop, and fastening means passed through the covering-sheet, reinforces and base, substantially as specied.

6. The hoop A', lining-strip A3, coveringsheet A2 and iap A6 forming a continuation of said covering-sheet, in combination with the reinforce L within said liap, the reinforce L' extending from between said hoop and lining-strip, and the base C and line of stitches C5 extending through said flap and reinforces into said base to form a hinge, and the stay M independent of said flap and extending from said base to said hoop, all substantially as herein specified.

7. The hoop A', lining-strip A3, coveringsheet A2 and iap A6 forming a continuation of said covering-sheet, in combination with the base C' and Wings C4 cemented upon said iiap, the line of stitches C5 connecting said flap to said base to form a hinge, andthe-bed D secured to said base and concealing said Wings and Hap, all substantially as herein specied.

8. In a case or box, the bed D comprising l the sheet D', corrugated strip D2 arranged With its corrugations vertical to said4 sheet and with its plane face outward, the covering D8 secured to said plane face, and the strip D4 covering the margins of said covering, sub- 1l. The top described, consisting of a founy dationsheet,a a thickening-piece thereon smaller than said sheet, a shaping-sheet larger than said piece and lying upon the latter, and an enveloping sheet drawn tightlyover the Whole and attached at itsmargins to the under face of said foundation-sheet, all combined substantially as herein specified.

l2. `The foundation-sheet B, thickeningpiece B2 smaller than said sheet, the shaping sheet B3 larger than said piece, the pad B4, and envelop B5, all combined substantially as herein specified. y i In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my "signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN J. FLETCHER. VVit-nesses i Y WM. B. JAMES, CHARLES RSEARLE. 

